Lorelai the Fourth
by KaylaW929
Summary: Everyone always said that Rory was just like her mother. Everyone says history repeats itself. Rory is nineteen and pregnant with Jess's baby. Now history is starting all over again with another Lorelai. Like mother like daughter...right?
1. How Things Came to Be

Lorelai "Lola" Alexandra Gilmore was born on September 29, 2004 at seven-thirty at night. She weighed seven pounds, eleven ounces and was about 20 inches long. Her mother, 19 year old Rory Gilmore, delivered her exactly on the due date and not a moment later.

Many people who heard the news the Rory "The Golden Child" Gilmore had gotten pregnant, were shocked to their cores, not sure of what they should do. So they did what they did best. Gossiped. Every where, people speculated on who was the father of the baby. Some say it was Dean and the baby was the result of a heated, spontaneous love affair. Rory and Dean quickly debunked the rumors and placed the town back to thinking. Some say it was someone from school. Maybe her friend Marty? Once again Rory squashed the idea and told the town she hadn't even so much as dated Marty, let alone slept with him. No one even thought about Jess, the man who left Rory before her graduation.

In fact it was him who had gotten her pregnant. She didn't know why she went to New York, where she learned he had gone to live. She didn't know what made her do it. One day as she was walking out of class, she noticed a book lying on the ground. It was Oliver Twist. A sudden wave of pain had spread through her, leaving an empty hole in her heart. For days she tried to shake it off, unaware that in a mere two weeks she would be pregnant. So, finally sick of the heavy feeling and wanting a sense of closure, Rory picked up a bus schedule, told her mother she was going away for the weekend with Paris, and told Paris she was going away for the weekend with her mother. It was a set plan, she didn't have to worry about either calling each other when they thought that she was with them. She had gotten her homework in advance and packed before Paris woke. The next morning at seven-thirty, she was sitting on a bench, a worn copy of Moby Dick in her hands. She decided something from her childhood was needed for now.

When the bus arrived, she slowly got on, almost turning around and forgetting the whole thing even happened. She knew she had come to far, told too many lies, convinced herself this was for the best. There was no turning back. At this point, it wasn't even an option. Rory sat down next to an old man who was reading a biography on John Adams.

"I've read that," she said suddenly. He looked up at her with warm, brown eyes. She smiled nervously at him, worried she had annoyed him. "It's very good."

"I'm inclined to agree with you," he said, a twinkling smile on his lips. They didn't speak to each other again, just say in comfortable silence, the only noises around them were the honking of horns, chattering of people, and then gentle turn of a book page.

After a few hours, in which Rory grew increasingly nervous, the bus finally came to a stop and the driver stepped off, leaving the passengers to collect their things. As Rory grabbed her bags from the corner, she glanced around at the faintly familiar bus station that had brought her to Jess once before. This time, however, she had something more serious on her mind.

The streets were loud and crowded as Rory fought her way through, her only destination was on a small scrap of paper that she had found on Luke's counter one day. The only reason it had caught her eye was the way Luke had roughly shoved it out of view the minute she looked at it. She had to convince her mother to step behind the counter and grab a few doughnuts and catch Luke's attention before she could grab it. The paper had been nestled in her pocket even before Luke reached Lorelai.

Now, three weeks later, she was stumbling around looking for a street that could or could not have Jess, the possible love of her life. She wasn't sure yet. After a moment a hotdog stand came into view and Rory realized with a start just how hungry she was.

"Thank you," she said once the man behind the cart had handed her the grossest looking hotdog known to mankind.

"Welcome," he snapped and snatched her money without a second glance at her. Oh, HOW I love New York, she thought sarcastically and stepped out of line. Her shoulder knocked into someone's and she glanced up shortly.

"Sorry," she gasped, wiping the mustard out of the corner of her mouth.

"No problem," the person answered, the voice sounding faintly familiar. She glanced up, her blue eyes locking with a pair of deep, chocolate eyes that stared back at her in disbelief. "Rory?" he asked, sounding shocked.

"Jess," she replied. Now that she was here, she felt silly. Why had she come? What did she want to say? What had she wanted to prove? "How are you?" she asked, stupidly.

"Fine," he answered, still looking at her as though he expected her to disappear in a moment. "How's school? Is Yale good?"

"Yes, Yale's great," Rory answered. "I need to talk to you."

"Alright," he said, a book rolled up in his hands. For the first time since he's seen her, his entire body had become clammy. The same thudding his heart had made when she stepped into a room had returned. At this moment he would very much like to turn and run away…again. It hurt him to know that he had caused her pain, it hurt a whole lot. He loved her and was so afraid of feeling that, he had run. "Sit down," he said, gesturing to a bench.

"Thank you," she said. The grease-soaked hotdog fell into the trash bin and she clutched protectively to the napkins in her hand. "I-" she stopped when his lips were suddenly on hers. This wasn't what she was expecting, in fact she nearly bit her tongue at his movements, but that didn't mean she wanted him to stop. Their lips seemed to move in a rhythm that was familiar to the both of them. His hands moved to her cheeks and broke away from her, panting.

"I-I'm sorry," he rattled out. His cheeks were flushed. "You've cut your hair."

"My hair?" Rory asked, dumbly. "Oh! My hair…yes, I've cut it. Do you like it?"

"Yeah," he answered, feeling the smooth silk from her head. "I like it." A silence spread within their small space and neither wanted to break it. "I'm guessing you didn't come here for a kiss. In fact, I expected it to be the last thing on your mind…What's up?"

Rory thought for a moment. What WAS up with her? Things she had wanted to say for months suddenly flooded through her. "Why did you leave me?" she asked finally.

He was expecting that. It would be have been surprising if she didn't ask him that. Still, it didn't help on his part in the slightest. How could he answer that? How about the truth? a small voice in his head asked, Isn't that what she's always wanted? The truth. "I love you."  
Rory wasn't expecting that. She stared at him for a moment and then, without thinking, raised her hand and slapped his sharply in the face. He started, swore, and looked up at her as though she were crazy. "Take it back!" she yelled. Her breathing was heavy and she felt tears in her eyes. "Don't tell me you love me!"

"I do," he cried incredulously. "I always have."

"Then why did you leave me?" she asked, her voice thick with tears. Once again Jess looked torn.

"Because I was afraid I would hurt you," he finally admitted. "I grew up with a shit household. My mother was this self-centered woman who couldn't even care for her own kid so she shipped him off to her brother. A brother who tried more than anything to put his nephew on track. My father bailed on me I think six minutes after I was born. He didn't even give me a chance. No one ever gave me a chance…except you. You were the only one in the Stepford town who gave a rat's ass about me. And it scared me. I was so used to people not caring, or not showing how much they cared for me that I pushed you away. You deserve better than me…always have always will. I didn't want to make you your mother. I didn't want to make you my mother. I didn't want to hold you back for anything-" Rory kissed him before he could finish. Now it was his turn to be shocked at her action.

Within ten minutes, they were stumbling into Jess's new apartment, something he had just recently bought with some money he had saved up. In less than an hour, Rory Gilmore was no longer a virgin. In a month she would find out she was pregnant. In a month and two days she would break up with Jess and return home.

**Nine Months Later**

"Look at her," Lorelai said, her voice in a stage whisper as she glanced down at her granddaughter. Lorelai kissed her daughter's head and smiled at the baby. "Pick out a name?"

"Yes," Rory answered. "Lorelai Alexandra Gilmore. We'll call her Lola, though. I think it's exotic."

"I like it," Lorelai answered and smiled again. "I can't stop smiling! I'm feeling crazy right now! Wanna go dancing?"

"Sure, let me just put down the baby, pull the plugs out of my arm, and find my jacket," Rory answered sarcastically. She smiled at her mother and then down at the baby again.

"Did you-"

"No," Rory answered instantly. "I didn't call him. I know I should have, but I couldn't." Lorelai didn't answer Rory, instead glanced back down at the sleeping baby.

"She has his hair," Lorelai whispered.

"Mmm," Rory replied sleepily. "You want to call everyone in so they can get a look before I pass out from exhaustion?"

"I suppose," Lorelai fake grumbled and stayed still by her daughter's bed. Rory sighed and rolled her eyes.

"I'm pretty sure I'll still be here when you get back from down the hall," she snapped lightly. Lorelai pouted.

"I know that," she said, patting Rory's arm. "I just can't seem to pull away from this bundle of pudge."

"Mom," Rory begged.

"Yeah, yeah," Lorelai said, now actually grumbling. "I'll be right back! Make sure she doesn't do anything really cute and important while I'm away!"

"I promise," Rory said, rolling her eyes again.

"I mean it! If I come back in and she's walking and talking…There'll be hell to pay-"

"Hey!" Rory hissed. "Virgin ears…" she pointed down at the baby as her mother left the room to call the vast number of people who turned out to meet the newest Gilmore. Rory glanced down at Lola with a feeling of slight pain and hurt. This baby, the darling little baby sitting on her lap, didn't know how messed up her life was.

"Rory!" Lane called, coming into the room, shortly followed by Dave, who had come back for her. He had been home for summer break and they met at a coffee shop across the street from where Lane and the band were doing a gig. As of right now they were waiting for Dave to finish college before they got married and moved into an apartment in Star's Hollow, where Dave insists on living. After realizing just how serious they were, Mrs. Kim even promised to at least open the wedding invitation when it came, Lane thinks this is a huge improvement. "Oh-Is this her?"

"Yeah," Rory whispered, shifting the sleeping baby so her friend could get a good look at her.

"Isn't she just the best thing in the entire world?" Lorelai asked, leaning back down over the baby.

"Oh God," Lane said with a groan, "you're going to be one of them, aren't you?"

"I beg your pardon?" Lorelai said, shock in her voice. "One of what?"

"You know, those grandmother's who aren't even the mother but they act like they are…" Lane said and Dave nodded.

"I believe my grandmother is one of those," Dave said with a nod. "Yeah, she lives in Naples, California and my parents live in Hartford. My dad was an only child, so I was considered hot stuff. She drove my parents insane so much they quit their jobs, packed up, and left…So did you pick out a name?" He leaned down to get a closer look of the baby through his camera while Lorelai sat down on a chair looking like a scolded child.

"Yes, Lorelai Alexandra," Rory proclaimed, her face glowing with pride.

"Another Lorelai to the brood," Lorelai exclaimed proudly. "We're planning on making an entire world of Lorelai's…" Rory nodded her agreement as Dave turned the camera back and forth to capture mommy, grandma, and baby.

"Oh, gotta go," Lane said, ten minutes later, looking down at her watch. "They only allow so many visitors a minute and we were before Paris. She said we got ten minutes and then she would come in here and get us."

"That wouldn't worry me so much if it hadn't been for her removing my balls part," Dave said with a sarcastic shrug. "You enjoy this precious moments. I'm going to leave the camera with you, Lorelai, so you can capture these moments at a distance, because remember, Naples is pretty far away…" Lorelai snatched the camera out of his hands as Lane and Dave left the room.

"…took you long enough! What were you writing about the joyous moment or something? Having her reenact the entire birth?" Paris snapped to Dave and Lane's retreating backs. She came into the room with a giant stuffed teddy bear. "Rory!" Her entire face lit up as she entered the room. Jamie, her on and off again boyfriend, trailed behind looking nervous and out of place. "Here, we got this for you…"

"Actually, we're not allowing the baby to have anything bigger than itself…" she trailed off and Rory had a sneaking suspicion she was thinking about what Dave said. With a laugh, she waved her hand, "Gah! I'm sorry, go on. Forget I even interrupted."

"Done," Paris said and handed Rory the bear. "Did you pick out a name?"

"Lorelai Alexandra," Rory said again, never getting old of the name. "Jamie, how's Stanford?"

"Good, I'm graduating next fall and going for my masters," he said, looking at the tube sticking out of Rory's arm.

"My baby is going to be a doctor," Paris exclaimed proudly. They chatted for a few minutes and then Paris glanced down at her watch. "Oops! Gotta go, sweety. Your grandfather and I haggled until we got each other down to twenty minutes apiece. Sly devil than man is…I respect that…Bye Lorelai."

A moment later, two other voices were replaced by Paris and Jamie's. "HONESTLY, Richard! I could have told you that there's no smoking in the hospital!" Emily was basically shouting as their voices neared.

"I think grandma and grandpa are coming…" Rory said weakly, giving her mother a very weak smile. Lorelai nodded once, placing a fake smile for her parents.

"Mom! Dad! What a lovely surprise!" she exclaimed.

"We've been here over twenty hours, Lorelai," Emily said, placing her purse on the chair. "You just spoke to us nearly an hour ago-"

"I meant…Hello, mom, dad, won't you sit and view your great-granddaughter?" Lorelai said, sarcastically. Emily suddenly looked at Rory with a small, rare smile.

"Hello, Rory," she said, clasping the young girl's hands. "How are you feeling?"

"Pretty good, grandma," Rory answered, glancing over at her grandfather who was still standing in the doorway. For most of the year he had been withdrawn and almost disappointed in her. Rory felt, never voiced, that her grandparents felt they had failed again. "Come sit grandpa," she offered. He entered the room with a quick and small smile.

"Oh…Rory," Emily gasped, picking up the baby and cradling her in her arms. "She looks just like your mother…" Lorelai was caught off guard and felt herself smile. "I remember the night your mother was born. We were caught in that horrible traffic! Don't you remember, Richard?" Emily turned to her husband who had taken the baby with a tiny smile.

"I do," he answered, still gazing at the baby, almost critically.

"Wait," Lorelai interrupted, "I was born in a car?"

"No, Lorelai," Emily said, exasperatedly. "We were coming home from Joanne Haynes' annual party. We had just gotten onto the freeway and my water broke."

"I sped all the way to the hospital, getting a ticket in the process, only to have to wait another fourteen hours for you to be born…" Richard said, another smile on his face. "It was the proudest moment of my life when they handed you over to me." Lorelai felt tears in her eyes and quickly wiped them away.

"The night Rory was born," Emily said, still holding Rory's hand. "We were coming back from Annabelle Parker's annual party and I found a note on the kitchen table…" Lorelai looked down, feeling what was coming. "We sped all the way to the hospital just in time to see your mother wheeled off into the delivery room. About ten minutes later, a nurse beckoned us in and we saw you laying on your mother's chest…"

"I'll never forget," Richard said suddenly. "you looked up at us with these big, blue eyes and sighed. I had a feeling from the start you'd be smart. I could feel it…I feel it now, with this one."

Everyone looked at the baby in his arms. "We passed your friend, Paris is it, when we came in. She was ranting to her boyfriend about something or other…" Emily informed them.

"Sounds like Pairs," Lorelai muttered.

A half hour later, Emily and Richard left and something between the four of them had changed. it would show up for months, but Lola had brought Lorelai closer to her parents, and she was forever grateful.

"Is there anyone else?" Rory said with a yawn.

"I don't know-" Lorelai began when there was a knock on the door.

"If it's Babette or Miss Patty, remember I'm asleep," Rory warned, not wanting to be bombarded with towns people so late at night. The door opened and she heard Lorelai gasp.

"Luke!" she cried. "What're you doing here?"

"You used my truck to bring Rory here, remember?" Luke asked, sounding like his usual gruff self. He ambled into the room.

"What's that behind your back?" Lorelai asked, wrestling it out of his hands.

"It's nothing-" he began, now embarrassed.

"It's a gift. You bought the baby a gift!" Lorelai said, handing it over to Rory.

"It's nothing, really," Luke said, looking uncomfortable. Lorelai was pleased to see that his cheeks were flushed. She gave him a smile and turned back to Rory.

"Luke Danes brought the baby a gift," she informed Rory, as though she hadn't heard the entire thing a moment ago.

"Did he!" Rory asked, feigning shock. "Luke has a heart!" she sang.

That night as Rory slept, Lorelai glanced at her daughter with a heavy heart. As much as Lola was a blessing to them, and someone they could now not live without, Lorelai felt like she had failed. Was this what her parents felt when she told them she was pregnant? Did they have this empty feeling of failure. Did they feel all of her dreams become crushed? Was she really better off with Rory? Of course she was! She shifted at the thought of a life without Rory, what she wondered was what it would have been like without Rory. If she had married Christopher later in life. Would there be more kids?

Another thought entered Lorelai's mind: Jess. She had been furious and shocked when Rory told her who the father of the baby was. Jess, the boy who ran out on her without so much as a goodbye. Jess, the boy who treated her like dirt. Jess, the boy who got her pregnant. Jess, Jess, Jess. Rory didn't want to tell him about the baby…but was it best? Lorelai had gone out on her own, alone, without the Christopher. She proved she could do it on her own…Rory never voiced how that effected her….WAS it for the best? Maybe for her…but not Rory…

**One Week Later**

"Liz…Liz! Calm down," Luke was yelling into the phone. Lorelai came around the back of the counter and began to pour her own coffee as Luke swatted at her to stop. Rory and Lola were at home as of now, they had gotten home a few days ago. "I'll get the beer T.J. wants…I promise…" Luke rolled his eyes up at the ceiling and then glanced down. "Uh, huh…alright….bye." He hung up the phone and shoved Lorelai back in front of the counter.

"So what did Liz want?" Lorelai asked, sipping her steaming coffee.

"She and T.J. are having their vows renewed because on T.J.'s marriage certificate, they spelt his name wrong and he has it in his head that Liz is married to someone else…I know, I know, it's crazy. And I know that once again I was sucked into it," Luke said with a sigh.

"So who is Liz technically married to?" Lorelai asked. Luke rolled his eyes and handed her a cover for her coffee. Just then Miss Patty came up to Lorelai.

"Lorelai, darling, how's Rory and the baby?" she asked, patting Lorelai's arm.

"Very well, Miss Patty," Lorelai answered, with a smile. "Both are healthy, sleepy, and hungry."

"I'm glad to hear it," Miss Patty said and walked back over to Babette, who instantly bent heads with Patty to discuss Rory and the baby. Word had gotten out about who the father actually was. The bell over the door twinkled and everyone turned to see Jess storming in looking ill tempered.

"I'm back for a week," he snapped before going up the stairs. The entire diner was absolutely silent as they turned back to Luke and Lorelai who stared at the stairs in shock. Lorelai was too stunned to speak.

"Was that-?" Miss Patter asked, voicing the question everyone was thinking.

"Yep," Babette replied.

A/N Please read and review.


	2. Jess

_Flashback_

_Lorelai walked into the house, a bag of food in one hand, the mail and her purse in the other. She dumps her coat and bag on the couch, presses the answering machine button, and walks into the kitchen. As she pulls the plate out of the cupboard she hears a familiar voice filter out of the machine. _

"_Mom? It's Rory…well I guess you already knew that because who else calls you mom?" Rory babbled. Lorelai nodded. _

"_True," she muttered and dumped the greasy food onto a plate. _

"_I need to talk to you, so I'm coming home for the weekend…if that's alright…I just-There's just something we need to talk about," Rory finished. "I love you and I'll see you soon." Lorelai glanced back over at the machine, a worried feeling clenching her body. _

_Lorelai walked back into the living room and turned on the t.v., calming down when a rerun of Friends came onto the screen. As she laughed along with a joke, the front door opened, unheard to her. She picked up the chopsticks and took a bite of her food. _

"_Mom-?" Rory asked. Lorelai screamed and threw the chopsticks into the air, wheeling around to stare at Rory. "I'm sorry!" Rory gasped. _

"_You scared me!" Lorelai cried, still clutching her heart. "You nearly gave me a heart attack! I didn't even hear you come in!"_

"_I told you I was stopping by for the weekend," Rory said, tucking her freshly cut hair behind her ears. "Is that Luke's?" she said, smelling the food in the air and becoming famished. Lorelai glanced down, confused. _

"_Uh, no," Lorelai said. "Al's."_

"_Oh," Rory answered and sat down next to her mother. "Can we talk? I really need to talk to you about something."_

"_Sure," Lorelai said, feeling the same nervous feeling come back over her. "Want something to eat? I could heat something up?" Lorelai was trying to stall this as long as possible. She didn't like the look on Rory's face. _

"_Mom!" Rory cried. "I really need to say this before I loose my confidence."_

_Lorelai took a deep breath. "Alright, go on."_

"_I'm pregnant," Rory mumbled her face flushing and her hands clenched on a tissue. There was a long silence and then Lorelai laughed. _

"_I'm sorry! Did you just say you're pregnant?" Lorelai said, laughing again. "Alright, funny joke to play on mommy."_

"_Mom, I wish I was kidding," Rory whispered. Lorelai stopped laughing and felt her stomach drop onto her brand new shoes. "Mom…please-"_

"_Rory," Lorelai whispered, closing her eyes and trying to make this just a dream. "How could you be so stupid?"_

"_Mom! I wasn't-I can't-I didn't want this to happen! It was a mistake, alright? I wish it were just a bad dream!" Rory cried. Lorelai wasn't listening. _

"_I tried so hard to make you not me," Lorelai ranted. "I did everything in my power to bring you up right! How could you do this to me?"_

"_You think I want this?" Rory snapped. "I made a mistake, I get it."_

"_You don't make mistakes!" Lorelai yelled, standing up and pacing back and forth. _

"_Well I did!" Rory yelled. "What do you want me to do? I'm sorry."_

"_Well 'sorry' isn't going to fix your mistakes, now is it?" Lorelai bellowed. She stopped suddenly, her breathing heavy and tears in her eyes. "Whoa," she whispered. "I just had a 1986 flashback…" She sat back down and looked over at Rory who was crying. Lorelai yelled like her mother did, she ranted like her father did, she tried to guilt Rory the way her parents did when they found out she was pregnant. And look what happened. Lorelai fled as soon as she could. That couldn't happen with Rory; she wouldn't let it happen between them. "Alright," Lorelai finally said, breathing deeply again. "Let me guess, Dean is the father?" _

"_No," Rory said with a sigh. _

"_So if it isn't Dean, then who is it?" Lorelai asked, thinking about every guy Rory had even looked at. Last she checked, her daughter had been a virgin. "Rory?"_

"_Jess," Rory mumbled into her hands. There was another long silence and when Rory glanced up, Lorelai was looking at her in disbelief. _

"_Tell me you're joking," Lorelai said her voice low and tight. Rory shook her head once and bowed her head again. "Dear God, please tell me you're joking."_

"_I'm sorry," Rory whispered again. _

"_Oh, Rory!" Lorelai cried, rubbing her eyes. "Rory, he left you! He walked out on you without so much as a goodbye and you sleep with him?"_

"_He apologized!" Rory yelled. _

"_When?" Lorelai snapped. "When did he apologize?"_

"_When I went to see him," Rory said, her voice shaking. "I went to see him last month and he apologized for everything he put me through." Lorelai was looking hurt again. _

"_You told me you were going away with Paris," Lorelai snapped. "You lied to me."_

"_I had to see him," Rory exclaimed. "I knew what would happen if I told you where I was going! I knew that you would try and stop me-"_

"_I had a good reason to!" Lorelai yelled. "Look what happened when you went to see him! You came back knocked up!" Rory didn't say anything and Lorelai looked down again. "Alright, kid, what do you want to do, then? Drop out?"_

"_No!" Rory cried, looking upset at the thought. "I talked to Paris already. She said that if I wanted, she would help me out with an apartment in Hartford with her. We'd room together and stay there until something better comes along. She has morning classes and I have afternoon classes. She promised to watch the baby in the afternoon. She and Jamie are going to live with me." Lorelai glanced at her and took a deep shuddering breath. _

"_You will stay here for the first four months," Lorelai said, her mind thinking. "I will take care of the baby when you go to school and then after the four months you can move in with Paris and Jamie. Deal?"_

_Rory thought for a moment and burst into tears. "I'm so sorry!" she cried and hugged her mother tightly as they both burst into tears. _

"_It's going to be ok," Lorelai soothed her sobbing daughter. It's going to be different with her, Lorelai thought; she won't run away from me. I will not be my parents!_

**Present**

Rory sat on the couch, watching her daughter sleep on the couch cushion. Her mother went out for a caffeine run, leaving Rory alone with Lola for the first time since she was born. The baby slept peacefully and made small noises.

"You're amazing," Rory said to the baby. "I am going to spoil you rotten!" Still, the baby didn't move and Rory sat back on the couch. She felt as though she should do something while her mother was out. Her mother, the one person she had secretly vowed never to become. Lorelai ran from every relationship she was in, she was petrified of commitment, and sometimes Rory thought she may have resented her. A thought so completely out of whack that it made her angry and guilty to think about, popped up every once in a while. Sometimes she wondered if her mother ever played the What-If game about her life. What if she had married Christopher when he asked? What if she had never invited him in that night? What if she hadn't been so angry at her parents? What if she had miscarried?

The door opened and Lorelai came in looking nervous. "Hey, babe, is the baby up?" Lorelai whispered. Rory shook her head and traced the small packet of fat on the baby's cheek.

"Sleeping like an angel," Rory whispered. Lorelai went over and glanced at the baby with a small sigh. "I really want to do something for you. I feel restless."

"No," Lorelai said firmly. "You need your rest. Here, I brought you back a bagel, some fries, a piece of cake, a cheeseburger, cheesy fries, chili fries, a diet coke, and a banana." Rory glanced at the bag and took it from her mother.

"What did you do?" she asked suddenly. "You buy me food when you've done something stupid. Last time it was seven boxes of pizza because you vacuumed up the hamster, before that it was the entire back side of Al's menu because you dropped a milkshake on my first editions…What did you do?"

"I didn't do anything!" Lorelai said, feigning shock. Rory raised an eyebrow and Lorelai handed her the bag. "Just eat the food, kay?"

"Mom," Rory insisted, taking the bag. "Just tell me, I won't get mad, I can't get mad. I'm too damn happy right now! Just tell me."

"Not now," Lorelai said with a sad smile. "Later, when you feel better." Rory sighed and took a bite of Luke's food.

"You know, I think now that you're dating Luke, his food tastes better then I remember," Rory said, closing her eyes and taking in the taste of his fries. "I can't believe you kissed!"

"I can't believe you went into labor and interrupted it," Lorelai said, handing Rory a glass of soda.

"Don't blame me, blame Lola," Rory said, stroking the baby's cheek. Rory glanced back at her mother. "Have I told you how grateful I am for everything you've done?"

"Everyday," Lorelai said. She took a deep breath and walked over to Rory. "I want you to promise me something."

"Alright," Rory replied.

"I want you to promise me that you won't turn into me. I don't want you to feel guilty and I don't want you to run away. No matter what happens, you're my daughter and I love you. And that baby is my granddaughter. I never want to come home to a note, understand?" Lorelai said, crouching down in front of Rory.

"I promise," Rory said with a smile.

"I don't mean you can stay here forever," Lorelai said, now standing up again. "I'm simply telling you that you don't have to feel guilty."

"Ok," Rory replied. "I think I feel up to Friday night dinner."

_Flashback_

"_That HORRID woman came in with her dog. You know the ones that yap instead of bark?" Emily said, savagely cutting her steak. "It had a pink bow around its neck and completely took over the entire meeting. I'll have to do something."_

"_You want to off her?" Lorelai asked, sharing a smile with Rory. _

"_Off her, Lorelai?" Emily asked, sounding exasperated. "Do I even want to know what silly little joke you made now?"_

"_It'll be fun mom! We can go shopping for rope and black leather. Then we can scale her house, break in, and strangle her," Lorelai said. Richard smiled and Emily rolled her eyes and went back to eating. "Don't say I didn't try."_

_Rory ate her food quickly and glanced around the table, searching for something that she didn't know. "Is there any…radishes?" The entire table went silent. _

"_Excuse me?" Emily asked, looking baffled. _

"_Radishes," Rory repeated, glancing around the table and spotting them. "Mom, can you hand them to me, please?"_

"_Here," Lorelai said, passing them down the table. Rory took them and piled some onto her plate quickly, before eating them even faster than she had placed them down. Emily glanced at Rory for a minute before gasping. _

"_Oh my God!" she cried, clutching her heart and looking as though she may pass out right in her seat. "Rory, you're pregnant, aren't you?" There was a long silence. "Rory."_

_Rory was now staring at the plate, not saying anything. Richard suddenly got up from the table and stomped away, not saying anything. Rory began to cry slightly. Lorelai had a sad expression on her face as she placed her napkin by her plate. "I'll be right back," she said softly and stomped over to her father's study. _

"_Rory?" Emily asked, kindly. "Come here." She opened her arms and Rory lunged into them, now sobbing freely into her grandmother's chest. _

"_I'm sorry," Rory sobbed for the thousandth time. "I ruined everything for you! I ruined your plans. I'm so sorry!"_

"_Shh," Emily snapped. "It's going to be alright." We won't loose her, Emily thought, we'll make it better this time. We can't loose Rory too._

_Meanwhile, Richard was pacing his study. He ran his hand through his hair and tried to stay calm. All he could think about was getting his hands on the boy who did this to his granddaughter. There was a knock on the door that he ignored. Lorelai pushed it open and smiled sadly at her father. _

"_Dad, are you alright?" she asked softly. _

"_How could you let this happen, Lorelai?" he snapped at her the moment she came into the room. "How could you let this happen to Rory."_

"_Dad, it was out of my control. She was away at school and left. It was a mistake she's going to live with for the rest of her life. Right now the only thing she needs is your support," Lorelai said. _

"_I'm afraid I can't give that," Richard snapped, turning away from his daughter. Lorelai glared at him and felt a sense of loss. _

"_So you're going to let history repeat itself?" she asked angrily. "You did the same thing to me, dad. After Rory I never felt good enough. You made me feel like a failure that was living under your roof. Remember I ran away? I ran away because I couldn't stand to be a blemish on the sacred Gilmore name. Rory's afraid and sad. She needs her grandfather."_

"_Lorelai, we had a plan!" Richard bellowed, turning around to stare at his daughter. "She would not be you! She would go to college and become whatever she wanted to be! It was a set plan! How could you let this happen?"_

"_How did you?" Lorelai screamed back. "Don't you dare insinuate that I am not a good mother! I am the best damn mother I could be. She lied to me and took a bus to New York. I couldn't help that. What would you have liked me to do? Keep her home for the rest of her life? I did the best I could do."_

"_It obviously wasn't good enough," Richard shot back and sighed. "Tell your mother I don't feel up to dessert."_

"_You're going to loose her, dad. This attitude is going to scare her off," Lorelai said softly. "You're going to loose us again." Richard didn't answer and kept his back to his daughter. She stared at his back for a moment before turning and walking out. As the door slammed shut and a picture fell off the wall, she noticed Rory and Emily sitting in the living room, talking. She walked along the wood floor until the carpet and saw Rory glance up. _

"_Is grandpa-" Rory began. _

"_Give him time," Lorelai said, trying to smile. "He'll come around. He did the first time."_

"_Lorelai, could I talk to you for a minute?" Emily asked, indicating the patio. "Excuse us Rory, we'll be right back."_

"_Yes, grandma," Rory answered obediently. Lorelai followed her mother outside feeling as though any minute she was going to be scolded. As soon as the glass door shut, Lorelai expected the yelling to begin. _

"_Do you have a plan?" Emily snapped. Lorelai was caught off guard. _

"_A plan?" Lorelai repeated. _

"_Yes, Lorelai, a plan," Emily snapped. She looked back at Rory's crying body and sighed. "Do you know where she's going to live? Do you know what she's going to do about school? Do you even know who the father is?"_

"_Yes, mom," Lorelai said. "We worked everything out."_

"_Do you need any help?" Emily said, still looking at Rory. "I don't just mean financial help. I mean honest to goodness grandmotherly help." Lorelai was caught off guard for a second time. _

"_Yes," she replied. "Right now Rory needs all the love and support she can get. Dad-"_

"_Give him time like you said," Emily answered immediately. There was a silence. "I'm sorry for letting the cat out of the bag and saying it how I said it." Lorelai was caught off guard for a third time._

"_Mom, it's alright, you didn't know," Lorelai replied. "I'm sure Rory isn't mad at you for it."_

"_Can I give you some advice?" Emily asked softly._

"_Sure," Lorelai said with a shrug. _

"_Don't loose her," Emily said firmly. "Whatever you do, don't loose that girl. I regret everything I must have done to scare you off. I only hope that you allow us to be apart of this baby's life. No matter what it is, I would like to be apart of it. From birthdays to baseball games. I also hope that you can forgive me, for everything I've done." Lorelai felt herself tear up and then, before she understood what she was doing, she lunged at her mother and brought her into a hug. _

"_I forgive you," Lorelai whispered into her mother's ear. "I'm sorry for leaving you. I'm sorry for not being as good of a daughter as you need. I'm sorry I let her get pregnant."_

"_Hush," Emily snapped and patted Lorelai's hair. Lorelai stepped back, her nose and eyes leaking. "Oh, you've got snot on my Chanel."_

Present

News that Jess was back in town spread like wildfire. Everywhere anyone went all the talk was centered on Jess, Rory, and the baby. Did he know he was a father? Is that why he was back? Was he going to stay here with Rory? Luke understood that Jess most likely did not know that he was a father. Luke also knew, from Lorelai, that Rory had left him when she found out.

"I'm going out," Jess snapped, rolling up a book and sticking it in his back pocket. Luke scrambled around the counter to stop him.

"No, you're not," Luke said, stepping to the left as Jess stepped to his right.

"What is the matter with you?" Jess asked incredulously. He took another step to the right, only to have Luke take one to the left. "Could you please move?"

"What're you doing back?" Luke shot back.

"I got guilted into coming back for Liz's second round of T.J. marriage. Believe me, I didn't want to come back to this crack town. I just didn't want you showing up at my door…again," Jess snapped, trying to leave. "Will you move?"

"No," Luke said, shaking his head. "You can't go out there."

"I can't?" Jess asked, once again looking confused. "Fine, I'll go upstairs and read."

"Good," Luke snapped and watched him go up the stairs. Luke waited for a minute before going back to wiping tables. Kirk looked up at Luke.

"Isn't there a fire escape right under your window?" Kirk asked lightly. Luke's head shot up and he ran up the stairs two at a time. Once into his apartment, he noticed the open window.

"Crap," he muttered, walking over to it and glancing out. He watched Jess's retreating back walk across the town square and out of sight. He walked over to the phone and dialed Lorelai's number.

"Hello?" said a tired voice on the other line.

"Lorelai?" Luke asked.

"Yeah?" she asked.

"Listen, Jess just escaped so make sure Rory stays out of town," Luke said. He heard movement from the other side of the phone.

"Will do, Cappie," Lorelai said. "We still on for later?"

"Yeah, we're still on," Luke said with a sigh.

"See you at seven?" Lorelai asked, a smile on her face. She could hear Luke smiling from the other line.

"Pick you up at seven," Luke said and then hung up.

Once he hung up, Lorelai walked downstairs and into the living room. The house was silent.

"Rory?" Lorelai called. She walked into the kitchen and noticed a piece of paper lying on the table. Instantly worry and fear flooded through her as she picked it up and read it. Once she finished, she first let out a sigh of relief and then began to worry again. Rory had gone for a walk and Jess was loose in the town…

Lola had woken up from her nap and began to cry. Once Rory calmed her down enough so that she was gazing around the room, she decided that a walk was probably the best thing for her right now. The fresh spring air would do them both good. She picked the sleeping baby up and placed her into the carriage. Then she scribbled a note for her mother with a P.S. I didn't run away, just went for a walk.

As she walked across town, she smiled as the sunlight hit her face. This was what she needed. She walked past Doosey's and past Miss Patty's. People stopped her every three feet or so. Babette and Miss Patty were the worse and just seemed to follow her around wherever she went. Finally, she managed to loose them near the magazine rack and head to her favorite spot in town. She didn't go there often, just when she was feeling sad and sentimental.

The bridge had been a favorite of Jess's. Sometimes she would come down there to see old cigarette butts stuffed in between the old wood from the bridge. She brought the carriage down the bumpy path and over the smooth wood. Rory was so busy watching Lola that she didn't even see Jess look up from his book. She missed the shocked expression on his face and she missed the comprehension.

"Rory?" he asked, looking at the carriage. Rory's head shot up and stared at him.

A/N Please read and review. I made a mistake last chapter. Lola was born in May, not September. Rory got pregnant in September and had the baby in May. Also, this story takes place at the beginning of season five if you want to put a label on it. Thank you and review.


	3. Is it mine?

_Flashback_

_Rory vomited for the third time before sitting back on her heels. She wiped her mouth with a shaky hand and leaned her head against the smooth, cool tile of the walls. This was the third time this week she had been overcome with nausea. The first had been when Paris walked in with very disgusting looking organic food from the market off campus. Usually, Rory scrunched up her nose and stuffed it far away and out of sight and smell. Now however, Paris had walked in and handed the bag to her while she rooted through her purse for her ringing phone. Rory had taken one whiff of the steamed broccoli before making a mad dash to the bathroom where she puked up her pancakes. The second time had been when she smelled pizza coming from the room to her left. She once again barely made it to the bathroom before puking out the contents of her stomach. Now, the third time, had been because she simply thought of food. _

"_Are you alright in there?" Paris snapped from outside. "Are you sick? Is it that flu going around? I told you not to hang out with those chicks you met from class! I told you they looked iffy! If you're sick, just stay the hell away from-" Rory opened the door, looking white and shaky. _

"_I don't think I have the flu," she replied, her voice showing what her face did. Fear. "I need you to do me a favor. Could you go to the drug store on the corner and buy me a pregnancy test?" There was a long silence from Paris. _

"_Holy shit, Gilmore. You're pregnant, aren't you?" Paris said, looking honestly stunned. Rory shrugged once and wiped her nose with her sleeve. "I'll be right back. Just wait right here for me, alright?"_

"_Yup," Rory replied meekly. She went to sit on the couch as the front door closed with a final snap. Once Rory was sure Paris was gone from the house, Rory let out a small sob as fear and anxiety rocked her body. I'm not pregnant, she thought firmly. I did not get pregnant! I am not the irresponsible! _

_Twenty minutes passed before Paris returned with a bag filled with various boxes. "I didn't know which one to get! Each one told me it was better than the rest! I asked some woman which one she would recommend and she told me she wouldn't know, she couldn't have kids! Then she started crying so I ditched her and found some pimply high-schooler and he got all freaked out and just pointed to a box. I couldn't very well trust him, so I bought everyone of them. Here," she offered one to Rory. She took the box, feeling as though she were watching an out-of-body-experience and stared at it. _

"_So this is going to tell me whether or not I'm going to be a mother," Rory said in a whisper. Paris nodded once and looked uncomfortable and impatient. _

"_Are you going to piss on the stick or what?" she finally asked, after Rory stared at the box for eleven minutes. Rory turned to her with a shocked and frightened expression. "I'm sorry! I'm an only child and you're the only person I know whose gotten pregnant! Well, I haven't stayed in touch with Madelyn or Louise, so I don't know if they got pregnant, but-"_

"_I'll take it," Rory said, standing up and walking shakily to the bathroom. _

"_Do you need any help?" Paris asked, following her into the bathroom. "I could hold the stick while you pee on it, or I could make some tea…"_

"_Coffee would be nice," Rory said, scratching her head. Paris nodded. _

"_Coffee it is," she replied. "Call me when we know…"_

"_I will," Rory said with a shuddering breath. She waited for Paris to leave the room and then closed the door open. Two minutes later she was staring at the test in front of her, willing it to be negative. Please don't be positive, Rory thought, her eyes clenched tight. Please don't be positive. The timer next to her went off with a startling chime and Rory peaked over at the test. "Positive."_

Present

"Rory?" Jess asked, staring at the carriage. He stood up, his face settling in a frown, his mind working furiously.

"Jess, what are you doing here?" Rory asked weakly.

"Liz is getting married to T.J. again and somehow I was guilted into coming back for it," Jess said, never taking his eyes off the carriage. "So, what have you been up to?"

"Nothing much," Rory said. There was a long pause. "Oh, um, I had a baby."

"I see that," Jess said his voice sounding as though it were desperately trying to stay calm. "Is it-" he stopped then and swallowed. His tongue seemed heavier than he last remembered and his mouth was remarkably dry. "Is it-"

"Yours?" Rory asked softly. He nodded once, glancing at the carriage.

_Flashback_

_Rory sat on the bus for the second time on her way to New York. Tears were in her eyes as she went over the conversation she had planned for Jess. She would have the end it on her terms before he went and broke her heart again. Should she tell him that he was going to be a father? Should she explain to him that he didn't need to be there? Could she convince him that she could do it on her own? Could she do it on her own? Could she do this? _

_The bus shuddered to a stop after an hour of Rory lost in thought. She stood up with five or so different passengers and quickly walked down the steps and onto the pavement. The crisp, New York air was inhaled into her nostrils almost immediately. Rory loved it in New York. _

_Jess was expecting her and, as a surprise, met her at the bus stop. He had some flowers in one hand, something that seemed totally out of character to him, and a book in the other. He just made it so much harder for her. _

"_Morning," he said, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek. She tried to smile at him but just felt tears in her eyes. Instead of telling him the reason for crying, she lied and told him she was so happy to see him. _

"_I'm just very emotional right now," she lied. He gave her a half smile before gesturing towards the road that would lead them back to his apartment. Rory nodded once and they began walking across the busy streets, past crowds of people and the hot-dog stand guy. _

"_I cleaned up especially for your arrival," Jess explained, turning the key and pushing the door open. Rory could see quite plainly that he had cleaned. Books were stacked neatly in the bookcases in the walls or on the coffee table. The floors looked vacuumed, the dishes washed and put away. _

"_Very nice," Rory said with a half smile. "We need to talk."_

"_Sure," Jess replied and set the flowers down on the coffee table, next to an old book Rory had read many years ago. "What about?" Rory turned to look at him and found herself unable to say what was on her mind.   
"It can wait," she said. He seemed to think maybe it was more important than she let on, but he knew that when she was ready, she would tell him. _

"_If you say it can wait, I can wait," Jess replied. "Cookie?" he extended a plate of cookies to her and she ate one quickly. After she decided it wasn't going to come back up and visit on his rug, she took another, and another, and fifth. "Hungry?"_

"_Very," Rory said with a nod. She turned to look at him again, she had shifted in case of vomit, and felt a painful twinge at her heart. Couldn't she very well tell him and hope for the best? If he can't be there, won't it be easier on her? Wouldn't she always know that it just wasn't meant to be? _

_With a sigh, Rory realized that this would be the end for them. She would have the baby without worrying Jess. She could do it on her own, her mother had done it and everything turned out fine. It was going to be alright. _

_For an hour, they sat on the couch and caught up with each other on everything. Rory talked to him about school, he talked about the high school credits he had received in California. He also voiced his idea about taking some classes at NYU. His grades were good enough to get in and they had an interesting writing program that had really gotten Jess interested. _

"_You must really like it if you're risking socializing with other people," Rory joked slyly. Jess rolled his eyes at her and then smiled. _

"_We had to write the first chapter of a book last week," Jess explained. _

"_Can I read it?" Rory asked. _

"_The teacher still has it for grading," Jess explained. "He read it out loud to the class." Rory let out a snort of laughter just picturing Jess's face at the time. "Oh, you think that's funny, do you?" he asked and ran his fingers up her side. Soon, they were both in a laughing frenzy. Unexpectedly, Rory's lips crashed down upon Jess's, startling the both of them. _

_As Rory lay in Jess's bed, listening to him sleeping peacefully, she traced small circles on her stomach. She wondered how he would feel if he knew that right now, inside of her, his baby was growing. How would he react to it? Would he be happy? Would he ask her to leave? _

"_Afternoon," he said, his voice raspy with sleep. She turned to him and smiled. _

"_Afternoon," she replied, snuggling back down with him. "We need to talk, Jess."_

"_Alright, talk," he replied easily. _

"_This isn't naked, after sex talk," Rory said. "This is something serious we need to discuss." Jess sat up and looked at her before shrugging, rolling out of bed, and pulling a pair of pants on. _

"_Your turn," he said slyly. She felt a dull blush creeping up onto her cheeks as she got ready. Once her clothes were on again and she had brushed her hair to the best of her ability with his old comb, Rory walked into the living room. She heard Jess moving around in the kitchen and walked over to him. _

"_Something's come up," she said suddenly. Jess turned to her with his eyebrows raised. "I need to leave and I don't know if I can see you anymore." He didn't say anything. She felt tears in her eyes. "I just want you to know that I love you and I will always have a special place for you in my heart. Goodbye Jess," she said, sobbing slightly. She kissed his cheek tenderly before gathering her things. _

"_Rory! Rory, wait! Wait up," Jess cried, following her down the stairs. "Where are you going? What's the matter? Rory!" They stepped outside and she kept running to the bus, which had just pulled up. "Rory, wait up! Rory!" he bellowed. She stepped on the bus and walked down the rows until the back as the bus began to move again. Jess ran down the street with the bus as Rory sobbed into her hand. He gave the bus one last bang and stopped running. _

Present

"Yeah," Jess said weakly. "Is it mine?"

"Yes," Rory said simply.

**Lorelai**

"Well, do you know where she went?" Lorelai asked Kirk who was sitting eating his fries.

"I did not see her," Kirk said in his odd voice. "I did, however, see one Jess Mariano walking down the street, if you're interested."

"No thanks, Kirk," Lorelai snapped and walked back to the counter. Luke was pacing back and forth looking worried. "How is it I can get a new pair of shoes and the entire town notices, but my kid and grandkid go missing and no one seems to see where they are?"

"Selective sight," Luke muttered. "Don't worry about it. Rory's got a good head on her shoulder. She wouldn't do anything dangerous with Lola."

"It's not Rory I'm worried about, it's that nephew of yours," Lorelai snapped. "He always seems to come in at the most inappropriate moment! He just couldn't have come back three days ago! Then at least we would have been at the hospital and I could have made an excuse to keep her an extra day or so."

"Well, he takes after his mother," Luke snapped, wiping down the counter. "We should go looking for them. I don't want them seeing each other unless it's in a controlled environment…"

_Flashback_

_Lorelai walked into the diner and smiled at Luke. He was wearing his backwards baseball cap and wiping down the table in the far corner. _

"_Luke?" Lorelai asked timidly. He whipped around to stare at her. _

"_Oh, hey," he replied and hesitated before going back to what he was doing. "What's up?"_

"_Rory's pregnant," Lorelai said simply. Luke's hand stopped it's circular motion and turned to stare at Lorelai in disbelief. _

"_Wh-what?" he asked, his eyebrows lost under the rim of his hat. "Rory? Our Rory?"_

"_Our Rory got knocked up," Lorelai said, tears back in her eyes. "Like mother, like daughter, right?" Luke looked at her sadly as she stumbled over to a chair and sat down hard. "And you want to know what the worst thing about this whole situation is?" Luke didn't reply and Lorelai took that as a yes. "Your nephew knocked her up. That's right! Jess got Rory pregnant!"_

"_I'll kill him," Luke snarled. He went behind the counter and pulled out the baseball bat. "I'll bring him back here and we can both beat him to death! Sound like a plan?"  
"Oh, how I want to do that," Lorelai said, laughing for the first time in a week. "He's going to be a father though. He's going to my grandchild's father." she laughed again and then cried slightly. "I'm thirty-five years old and I'm going to be a grandma! Now I know how my mother felt…"_

"_Lorelai?" Luke asked softly. _

"_Yes, Luke?" Lorelai whispered. _

"_Are you alright?" he asked. _

"_I think so," Lorelai replied. _

Present

The door to the diner opened with a tremendous force. "Luke!" someone bellowed. Lorelai whipped around to see an angry Jess standing there.

A/N Please read and review.

I would just like to point out that Rory would leave and go to New York because she did so in the second season. Also, saying that she would be pregnant in two weeks isn't ruining anything, I say so in the summary. Sorry, don't mean to bitch but that was bothering me…


	4. Jess and Lola

_Flashback_

_Luke was wiping down the counter at the diner when the phone rang. He turned to it and thought about ignoring it. After it rang for a fifth time, he picked it up and barked into the phone._

"_Luke?" someone asked from the other line. The voice was familiar and the same way it had been when he lived in Luke's apartment a year ago. _

"_Jess?" Luke asked, placing one hand on the counter, the rag still clutched firmly into the other one. Luke's mind was working furiously. He's hurt, Luke thought. "Is everything alright?"_

"_Yeah, I'm fine. I just wanted to tell you that I moved," Jess said. "I got a job at a publishing house and the pay is pretty good. Good enough for me to get an apartment all to myself in the Village. I just wanted to tell you in case you tried to reach me…"_

"_Well, thanks, alright. Let me just write down the address," Luke said, picking up a pad and pulling the pencil out from behind his ear. Jess repeated a number, a street name, and an apartment number. _

"_Do you want my phone number?" Jess asked. _

"_Sure," Luke said and jotted down the number given to him. "So you're good?"_

"_Great," Jess said. "Anything new with you?"_

"_Nope, still my same old self," Luke said, nervously tugging on his cap. _

"_You ask out Lorelai yet?" Jess asked. _

"_Bye Jess," Luke snapped and placed the phone back on its cradle. He then started the tiny slip of paper that looked so small it seemed easy to loose it. To pretend the conversation never happened. The bell over the door chimed and he heard a familiar voice. _

"_Coffee?" someone called. "Luke, my dear boy, bring a dame a cup of coffee before she dies of exhaustion!" Lorelai yelled, flinging herself onto the stool in front of the counter. Luke looked down at her and then up at Rory. _

"_What's her deal?" he asked, pouring them some coffee. _

"_We decided last night seemed the best night to watch all the Monty Python movies," Rory began to explain, "but mom forgot she had an early appointment at the inn. She went to bed like three hours ago and I just woke her up to get some coffee."_

"_And everything makes sense," Luke said sarcastically. He placed a cup in front of Lorelai who took it, her eyes bleary. _

"_Luke? Is that you? I can't seem to see anything! Where is my daughter?" Lorelai called, running her hand down Rory's face. _

"_Mom-Stop it," Rory said huffily as Lorelai drank her coffee. She calmed down some as the caffeine settled into her system. Rory watched Luke walked behind the counter. A slip of paper caught her eye instantly and she glanced at it. When she saw the name her heart began to beast faster than ever and blood began to pound in her ears. The entire diner seemed to slow down around her as the address came shooting off the paper and burned into her mind. _

"_Uh-" Luke said, slipping it under the register. Rory didn't look up at him and pretended she never saw it. Instead she pointed to what she could have been looking at. _

"_New calendar?" she asked, pointing to it. Luke looked relieved and turned around to it. _

"_Yeah, thought I should update it," Luke said with a shrug. _

"_Especially since you haven't since 1996," Lorelai commented. _

"_Ah, look who's perked up," Luke muttered and began to wash counters again. Rory glanced back down at the paper, then to Luke, and then to her mother. _

"_Mom, why don't you get us some bagels?" Rory suggested. Lorelai turned to her, fake shock written all over her face. _

"_You want me to stir up trouble with Luke?" Lorelai asked, her voice also showing fake shock. "I think you may just be coming around to my wicked ways. Watch my purse." Rory watched her mother get up and walk around the counter. Luke, who must have some sort of alarm for that sort of thing, instantly stopped what he was doing and began to yell at Lorelai. Rory reached over the table and slid the slip of paper out from under the register. It was in her pocket before Lorelai came back with two bagels in her hand, a pout on her face._

_End Flashback_

Jess was now upstairs in Luke's apartment letting out some steam as Lorelai like to call it. Actually, he was using some pretty colorful language and kept gesturing wildly. Lorelai wasn't allowed in so all she could see were their disfigured shadows from the glass on the door.

"Almost a year!" Jess bellowed. "I've been back on speaking terms with you for almost a year! What, did it slip your mind or something? Did you just happen to forget that she was pregnant?"

"Keep your voice down," Luke hissed.

"NO! I will not keep my voice down! You must have known it was mine! Rory would have known, she would have told Lorelai and Lorelai would have come running to you!" Jess yelled. Lorelai raised her eyebrows in anger but didn't say anything out loud. She decided to let Jess yell his frustration.

"What would you have done? Come back and supported her?" Luke asked, his voice disbelieving.

"Yes," Jess snapped. There was a long silence and Lorelai felt her heart stop. "I would have come and got her. She was having my baby."

"If you haven't forgotten, you left her!" Luke snapped.

"We obviously worked it out if we got close enough to make a god damn baby!" Jess yelled. Lorelai could see a lot of arm waving. "It was miraculous conception!"

"If Rory didn't want you to know then it wasn't my place to tell you," Luke snapped. There was a long silence.

"I'm outta here," Jess snarled and Lorelai saw his disfigured body walk over to a chair and pluck something off of it.

"Jess, don't you dare go looking for her," Luke warned. Jess didn't answer, instead he flung the door open to reveal Lorelai, crouched down slightly. He hesitated when he saw her.

"Sorry," he snapped and walked down the stairs. She watched him walk down the stairs then walked back into the apartment where Luke was pacing back and forth.

"Should we go after him?" Lorelai asked. "I mean, my first instinct is to kick the crap out of that kid. I don't want him to hurt Rory again but I don't know if keeping him away is helping her any. I did everything in my power to keep Christopher away and I don't know if that's the right thing for her."

"So, you're saying you should have married Christopher?" Luke asked suddenly. Lorelai turned to him sharply.

"Never," Lorelai replied. "I'm saying that for Rory, Jess is probably the best and worst thing that ever happened to her. He is the baby's father. He deserves at least a minute of her time."

"I think we should find them and invite them back to your house to really talk it out," Luke suggested. "I don't want them out on the loose. I want him right where I can see him."

**One Hour Later**

Rory had come home in tears after her confrontation with Jess. She didn't want him to find out like this of all of the times and places, it shouldn't of been now. She had planned to see him within the year. She would go for a long weekend and just talk to him. If he was alright with everything she was saying, she would talk him back and let him visit with Lola. She wanted to take their time with this.

Shortly after she got home her mother came barreling into the house looking for her. "Rory!" Lorelai screamed. "Rory, are you home? Rory!"

"Here," Rory said, sniffing back more tears and walking into the kitchen. Her mother stopped spinning in circles and glanced at Rory who was crying slightly.

"Oh, kid," Lorelai said sadly.

"He ran away," Rory sobbed as her mother wrapped her into a tight hug. "I told him what happened and he ran away!" Lorelai sighed.

"Maybe that was the only thing he could think to do," Lorelai suggested softly. "Believe me when I say that your father did not act anything as calm as Jess did. I think it was the only time I've ever seen Christopher scream, swear, and cry all at once."

"Did you see Jess?" Rory asked suddenly. She stepped back from her mother and looked at her questioningly. "Why did you see Jess?"

"Well-" Lorelai began. She was cut off when there was a knock on the door. "I'll go get that."

"Mom!" Rory snapped but Lorelai had already ran to the door.

Lorelai opened it and came face to face with a very angry looking Jess. "Hello, Jess."

"Lorelai," Jess replied. "Is she here."

"Yes," Lorelai said. There was a moment's pause.

"Can I see her?" Jess snapped.

"No," Lorelai replied.

"I really need to talk to her," Jess insisted. "I think I have a right to come in and talk with her. I honestly don't believe she doesn't want to talk to me."

Lorelai hesitated and glared at Jess. "Come in, sit down, don't speak," she ordered and stepped aside for him to walk in.

"Thank you," he said sarcastically. He sat down on one of the couches and heard Lorelai step back into the kitchen. A moment later there were soft voices coming from Rory's bedroom. Jess glanced around and suddenly spotted a small bassinet sitting by the far end of the couch. He got up and slowly walked over to it. What he saw nearly made him keel over from shock. Sleeping inside of the covering was a small baby that had curly brown hair. Jess started at it for a moment when it moved slightly. He jumped back completely startled and saw it move its small hand over it's cheek. Before Jess understood what he was doing, his hand was extending over the smooth flesh of the sleeping baby. It moved again and opened its eyes. Jess felt himself smile at the familiar blue that stared up at him. "Wow," he whispered. He heard footsteps and quickly stood up straight and turned around. Rory was standing in the foyer. Her hair was slightly longer than he remembered and seemed lighter as though she had colored it. She seemed slightly chubbier than her usual thin as a twig self.

"Hello Jess," she said in a soft voice.

"Hello Rory," he replied.

A/N Please read and review.


	5. Emily's Arrival

"Why didn't you tell me?" Jess snapped. Rory flinched and tried to put something together in her head. "What the hell were you thinking? How could you just leave and not tell me that I was going to be a father?"

"I don't know," Rory admitted. "I was scared you wouldn't-"

"Wouldn't what?" Jess cried. "Wouldn't come back for you? Wouldn't support you? Wouldn't want to be apart of your life? Wouldn't want to see my own baby!"

"Yes!" Rory said, her tears flowing freely from her eyes. "You left once before and I just couldn't handle it if you left me again!" Jess had now thrown his hands up into the air in anger.

"Is my leaving once going to come up in every single fight or conversation I have with you people?" he bellowed. "I left, yes. I apologized, Rory!"

"I know you did," Rory sobbed.

"You had my baby!" he said, his voice cracking slightly.

"I know," Rory said softly.

"How could you keep that a secret from me? To cut me out of your life?" he demanded.

"I don't know," Rory admitted. "I really just don't know what I was thinking. I thought maybe if I didn't tell you then I would never know if it was true. If I had a single shred of hope in my heart that you would come back, then I wouldn't fall apart."

"I would have married you, Rory," Jess said. "I would have been with you when you gave birth or when you had cravings, heaven forbid what they would have been. I would have been there for you! I get the feeling that you won't ever get it." He stopped and took a deep breath as though he were steeling himself for something. He looked at her for a second. "I LOVE YOU!" he yelled. "Alright? I LOVE you! I didn't think I needed to constantly tell you that. I have, do, and always will love you."

Rory didn't know what to say again. He had never said it to her before. When he had come back for Liz and T.J.'s first marriage, Lorelai had made her stay with her grandparents, which was fine. She didn't want to see Jess.

"Well-" Rory began and stopped. Jess had turned around and was now staring down at the baby sleeping soundly in the bassinet, unaware that her parents were fighting mere feet from her. "Do you want to hold her, Jess?"

"What?" Jess cried, his voice cracking. In the kitchen, Lorelai let out a small snort as she saw Jess tense up and glare over at Rory.

"Hold her, Jess. She's your baby you know…you're her father," Rory said, walking over to the baby and easing her out from under the blanket. Jess stared at her and sat down hard on the couch. "Now, mind her head, will you?"

Lola slipped into his arms and let out a mewing sound before closing her eyes again.

"Wow," Jess whispered, unable to do anything but stare. "She has your eyes."

"We'll see," Rory replied. "They may change even though the doctor said that would have happened already." Jess was staring down at the baby in his hands, unable to do much more. His brain seemed to stop giving signals to his mouth and his usual quick comments were suddenly wiped from his mind.

"How old is she?" he whispered.

"Uh, a week or so," Rory replied, smoothing down the baby's hair. It was the same curly brown that Jess's had been. "Her name is Lola. I named her after me and Lorelai and then her middle name is Alexandra because it just sounded really pretty."

"I like Lola and I always figured that if you had a kid you'd name it Lorelai," Jess replied, still looking down at the baby in his arms.

"If she had been a boy I would have named her Oliver," Rory said suddenly. Jess looked up sharply as Rory bit her lip and waited for him to get it.

"After Oliver Twist?"

"Yeah," Rory said with a small shrug. "I don't know, it just seemed appropriate or something." Jess was still looking down at the baby, not saying anything. Suddenly the doorbell went off and they both jumped. "Mom-"

"Got it," Lorelai called, walking over to the door and opening it. "Mom?"

"Lorelai," Emily said. Rory felt her heart leap into her throat as her grandmother walked into the room, carrying a large bag that seemed stuffed with toys and clothes. "Hello, Rory." Her eyes traveled over to where Jess was standing holding the baby in his hands. "Jess." Lorelai and Rory both glanced at each other, both worried about what was about to happen.

"Mrs. Gilmore," Jess said.

"Oh, such formalities. You knocked up my granddaughter, please call me Emily," she said, setting down her bag and shrugging her coat off and placing it on the couch. Rory and Lorelai both glanced at each other as Jess seemed to blush slightly and look down at the baby again. She turned back to Lorelai with a smile which seemed fixed on with plaster. "Lorelai, may I see you in the kitchen for a moment. I brought you some honey roasted nut coffee mix."

"Uh, yeah, sure," Lorelai said, looking at her mother with fear. She followed Emily into the kitchen. As soon as they were in there, Emily whipped around, her face a palet of furry.

"WHAT is he doing here?" she hissed. Lorelai sighed.

"He's the father of her baby, mom," Lorelai said. "How many times did you try and push Christopher on me? He had a right to know that Rory had his baby." Emily sighed and rolled her eyes. She poked her head back out into the hallway to look at Rory and Jess talking.

"Well, what does he plan to do with her?" she snapped, rounding back on Lorelai.

"I don't know mom," Lorelai said, almost pleading with her mother. Secretly, Lorelai was both shocked and a little proud that her mother didn't jump and attack Jess the moment she walked into the house. Emily sighed again and shoved something into Lorelai's hands. "Oh my God," she said, laughing slightly. "You actually brought me coffee."

"You're going to need it if you're raising a baby again," Emily snapped and stalked over to the fridge, pulling it open and glancing inside of it. "Is that actual food in there?" she asked incredulously.

"I do go food shopping, mother," Lorelai said, rolling her eyes. The front door burst open again and they both turned to it.

"Where is he?" Luke shouted.

"In here, Luke," Jess called sarcastically.

"Lorelai!" Luke shouted, coming into the kitchen. "Did you know he was out there?"

"No, he actually snuck into my house when I wasn't looking and then talked to my daughter and the baby without my knowing," Lorelai said sarcastically. "Do you think I'm an idiot?"

"Oh, he's good! Just getting in here and smoothing his way back," Luke said, shaking his head. He sounded out of breath and was now clutching his heart.

"Did you run all the way from the diner?" Lorelai asked.

"No," Luke said shaking his head. He bent down towards Lorelai and gave her a long kiss on the lips. Lorelai tensed immediately after remembering her mother was probably going to explode in three seconds. "Town line. Miss Patty said she saw Jess going over to the house and I was afraid that you wouldn't be there to monitor him and his stupid sarcastic remarks-" Luke suddenly caught sight of Emily standing at the open fridge, a bottle of formula in her hands. She was staring at Luke in polite surprise.

"Hello, Luke," Emily said.

"Hello, Mrs. Gilmore," Luke said, his cheeks flushing slightly. "And how are you doing today?"

"Fine," Emily said tightly. She looked between her daughter and Luke and sighed. "So are you 'still friends' or is it safe to say that you're now more than that?"

"Mom, I was meaning to tell you-"

"No you weren't, Lorelai," Emily said, placing the formula back into the fridge. "No matter, I didn't mean to intrude. I'll just come back when you're not occupied by company." Emily began walking away and turned back to Lorelai and Luke. "Congratulations. It took you long enough." She began walking away. Lorelai glanced up at the ceiling and growled in frustration.

"Mom! Wait," Lorelai called. Emily stopped and turned around slowly, a perturbed look on her face.

"Yes, Lorelai?" she asked, her tone indicating she expected it all along.

Lorelai wanted to scream out in anger but she felt compelled to stay calm. Her mother had been good the entire twenty minutes she had been there. She hadn't screamed or yelled at Jess, she said nothing negative to Luke, she was almost supportive of Lorelai and Luke's relationship. She didn't deserved to be sent away.

"Stay, don't go," Lorelai said. "Visit with Lola, take her for a walk around the town, bitch about Mrs. Rosenburg and her dog Snicklefritz."

"What a lovely idea, Lorelai!" Emily cried, clapping her hands together. "I think I might just do that! Now, I'm going to take her back to Hartford and buy her some baby clothes, a Christening dress, and maybe a winter jacket-"

"She has clothes mom," Lorelai began and Emily glowered at her.

"I was thinking for my home, Lorelai," Emily snapped. "You said that some nights when Rory was busy at school and you couldn't come up and get the baby that she could stay the night with us, isn't that right?" Lorelai looked back up at the ceiling.

"Yes, mom," she muttered.

"What was that?" Emily asked. "I didn't quite hear you-"

"Yes, mom!" Lorelai said, much louder this time. "Take Lola back to Hartford for tonight, ok? I'll pack some formula and just for tonight, you can take Lola back to your house so Rory and Jess can work everything out. How does that sound to you? I'll come pick her up in time for Friday night dinner."

"Wonderful, Lorelai!" Emily said, smiling brightly. "I'll just gather her things and you'll get the formula?"

"Sounds like a plan," Lorelai said and watched Emily walk back out of the kitchen. There were more mutterings and Lorelai turned to Luke who looked absolutely floored. "You've just seen Emily Gilmore in action."

"I don't know what you're complaining about, actually. She seems really nice," Luke said, shrugging.

"Nice?" Lorelai asked, her voice rising. "Nice? Emily Gilmore is not nice, Luke! She just totally saw her chance to swoop in and she took it! She just manipulated this entire situation."

"Oh…she's good," Luke said, nodding his head along with Lorelai.

"That she is," she replied. "Better go get Lola ready before Emily steals her." The two of them went back into the living room where Emily was holding onto the small baby and smiling happily.

"She's getting chubby, Lorelai," Emily said as soon she Lorelai came into the room. Lorelai stopped and threw her hands up in the air in frustration.

"Yes, well, what can I say? She's a baby!" she snapped. Emily glanced back up at her and then down at the baby. "Rory, Grandma is going to take the baby for the afternoon."

"Back to Hartford?" Rory asked. Both Jess and Rory seemed disappointed with the thought of the baby leaving them so soon after being reunited. Emily had been glancing between Rory and Jess and suddenly placed the baby back into Rory's hands.

"You know, I just remembered I was going to get my hair done," she stated simply. "Maybe another time? I think the baby is too young yet to be taken into the city. I think I'll save her little adventure for next month. For now, just tell me her sizes and I'll be off."

"Um," Lorelai said, not sure what had brought upon the sudden change in her mother. "I think 0-3 months should be good, don't you Rory?"

"Uh, yeah…sure," Rory said. Both mother and daughter exchanged wide-eyed expressions.

"Well, then, I'll leave the four of you alone now," Emily said, placing her notebook back into her bag and snapping it shut. "Rory, would you let me buy you some things for school and your new apartment?"

"Uh, um, er, sure, why not?" Rory said, smiling at her grandmother who was beaming now.

"Wonderful!" Emily said, looking genuinely pleased. "And what about you Lorelai?"

"What? Me? I'm fine," Lorelai said, now feeling as though she had missed something.

"Are you sure you don't want anything?" Emily asked, staring intently at Lorelai. "Weren't you saying something about Prada kitten heels the other week?" Lorelai felt floored.

"Well, yeah, but-"

"Say no more, I know your size," Emily was now gathering her things into her arms. "Have a nice day you four. I'll see you tonight for dinner? Unless, Rory would you like to bow out?"

"Could I?" Rory asked.

"Certainly," Emily said and everyone jumped. "Luke, why don't you take her place?"

"What? Me?" Luke said as everyone looked at him. "Really, I don't want to intrude-"

"Don't be silly! It'll be great," Emily said. "Alright, now I'm really going, goodbye everyone."

"Bye," everyone chorused. There was a lingering silence after the door closed.

"WHAT was that?" Rory asked.

"Proof that pod people exist," Lorelai replied, pulling back a curtain and watching her mother drive away from the house. There was an uncomfortable silence that slowly filtered into the room. "Ok, well…I should probably head back to the inn…"

"Yeah, I, er, need to get back to the diner," Luke said. Both Lorelai and Luke edged towards the door and grabbed their things.

"Rory come and get me if you need me, ok?" Lorelai asked. Rory nodded. There was a beat of silence. "Bye Jess."

"Bye, Lorelai," Jess replied, talking for the first time since Emily arrived.

"Jess I want you back at the diner in an hour, understood?" Luke asked gruffly. "Ok, then, bye Rory."

"Bye Luke. Bye mom."

"Bye, kid. Bye my beauty," Lorelai bent down and kissed Lola's scrunchy little head. "Ok, then…bye."

"Bye," Jess said.

"Bye," Luke replied.

"Bye," Rory said.

"Bye," Lorelai said.

"Bye," Luke repeated.

"I have a feeling this could go on for a very long time if someone doesn't end it now," Jess cut in.

"BYE," Lorelai snapped, annoyed. She shot a short glare at Jess and smiled at Rory. "Just call me and someone will be at this house in three seconds, ok?"

"I get it mom," Rory said.

"Ok," Lorelai said. She turned around and walked out the front door, Luke closely behind her. "Bye!" she called, poking her head back in and then closing the door with a snap.

"Have I ever told you how weird your family is?" Jess asked.

"Yes," Rory replied, staring straight ahead. She turned to Jess. "I really am sorry I didn't tell you about her. There was some part of me that wanted to, really wanted to, but I just kept silencing it. I needed that sliver of hope within me that you would come back."

"But if you had just told me-"

"I didn't know what you would do. See, Jess, I was scared. At the time I thought if I told you and you, for some reason, didn't want the baby then I would fall apart; I wouldn't be able to go on if I thought that. I liked fooling myself thinking that maybe I would go back and see you after the baby and reestablish a relationship with you, then tell you about Lola. That was what I planned to do, Jess. When I was ready."

"Rory?"

"Yes?" she asked, turning back to Jess who was staring at her intently.

"Marry me?"

A/N Read and review. Sorry it took so long. If the whole Emily thing seemed OC, I know I did it for a reason so don't review telling me how OC she was. I purposely wrote it that way. Thank you.


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